KLDR - Local News

Deputies Jailed Cave Junction Woman for Hitting Husband with Tree Branch

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office jailed a Cave Junction woman for attacking her husband with a tree branch after questioning his parenting actions yesterday. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies arrested 42-year-old female subject for the incident at a home in the 900-block of Caves Highway at 4:51 p.m. Wednesday. Deputies said the husband walked outside with the couple's four children and one of them vomited on the pavement. When the husband told the child that he should have tried to vomit on the grass, the wife questioned him and got in his face so he had to push her away. The woman then picked up a five-foot-long stick and struck her husband in the face with it. According to the report, the husband tackled his wife after she threatened to hit him with the stick again. She subsequently picked up an even larger stick and threatened him before he tackled her again and they wrestled on the ground in front of their children. Deputies said both parties were covered in scrapes and mud when they arrived on scene. Both refused medical attention and -- following an investigation into the incident -- the wife was placed into custody. The suspect was transported to Grants Pass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony Unlawful Use of a Weapon, Felony Attempted 2nd-Degree Assault and Harassment. She was being held without bail pending her court arraignment today.

Posted on 2/27/25 11:45AM by Sam Marsh

Deputies Snared North Valley Woman on Warrant for Alleged Drug Trafficking

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office arrested a North Valley woman on a local warrant for alleged drug trafficking yesterday. According to the Sheriff's Office, deputies contacted 30-year-old Cierra Bryant at a home in the 3100-block of Camp Joy Road on Wednesday around 11:40 a.m.. Details in the Sheriff's Log were sketchy as references were made to a 2017 Honda Rancher 4x4 ATV and an air tag pinging in the vicinity of the Merlin Post Office. There was also a reference made about a woman waving units past a no trespassing sign. No other information was available. Bryant was wanted on a Josephine County warrant containing a secret indictment for Felony Delivery of Methamphetamine and Methamphetamine Possession. She was cited to appear in court and then released.

Posted on 2/27/25 11:43AM by Sam Marsh

Deputies Arrested Motorist for DUII after Downtown Cave Junction Incident

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office arrested a motorist for impaired driving yesterday following an incident in downtown Cave Junction. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies and emergency crews responded to a call in the 100-block of South Redwood Highway on Wednesday shortly before noon. Deputies said an employee at the 76 gas station called 9-1-1 to report that the driver of a white Toyota Tacoma pickup hit a gas pump and Illinois Valley Fire District vehicle repeatedly. A man working on the IVFD vehicle may have been hurt, but there was no further information in the report about a patient. Upon arrival, officers contacted the 63-year-old driver of the Tacoma who showed signs of impairment. He was taken to the Cave Junction substation for sobriety tests and a breath sample. The suspect was cited to appear in court for Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants before he was given a ride home. His vehicle was impounded. Additional charges against the suspect were pending further investigation.

Posted on 2/27/25 11:42AM by Sam Marsh

GP 911 Communications Center Fielded Over 1,000 EM Calls in "Crazy Week"

The Grants Pass 9-1-1 Communications Center received over 1,000 emergency calls over the past week. According to the 9-1-1 Dispatch Center's weekly post on Facebook, local dispatchers fielded a total of 1,018 calls between February 20th and 26th. As usual, the Grants Pass Police Department was the recipient of the bulk of the calls with 758, while American Medical Response received 335 and Grants Pass Fire-Rescue received 103. Rural Metro Fire Department received 47 calls during the reporting period while the Illinois Valley Fire District received 28, the Wolf Creek Fire Department received five, Williams Fire & Rescue received four and the Oregon Department of Forestry got three. In addition to the emergency calls, local dispatchers received a total of 472 internal calls and they made a total of 515 outbound calls. It's been a bit of a crazy week in the Communications Center, with Sunday's heavy rainfall and Monday's windstorm that brought down trees across Josephine County, with many of them landing on power lines or blocking roadways. The Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system had be taken down for maintenance on two mornings, so dispatchers went to manual mode and did everything "old school."

Posted on 2/27/25 11:40AM by Sam Marsh

US Marshals Service Returned Felony Sex Suspect to Josephine County from Asia

The United States Marshals Service has returned a Josephine County felony sex suspect back to America. The Josephine County Sheriff's Office reports the US Marshals Service retrieved 41-year-old Shawn Christian Higbee from Cambodia and brought him to San Francisco where he was picked up by deputies and returned to Grants Pass. The Sheriff's Office had been working with the federal law enforcement agency for several months in an attempt to locate Higbee for a felony-level sex crime. A warrant had been issued for his arrest in 2019, but he had been able to evade apprehension until his arrest in Southeast Asia last December. A crime analyst discovered that Higbee had fled to Cambodia and was there for several years. His exact location was pinpointed and the information was relayed to the US Marshals Service who turned it over to an international apprehension team. He was being held in a Cambodian jail until his return to Josephine County last week. Higbee is being held at the Josephine County Jail for the felony-level sex crime plus an out-of-county warrant and his bail was set at $354,000.

Posted on 2/27/25 6:44AM by Sam Marsh

Deputies Incarcerated Man on Felony Warrants after Downtown CJ Traffic Stop

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office jailed a man on two local warrants this week following a traffic stop in downtown Cave Junction. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies pulled over a 1976 Ford Bronco driven by 46-year-old Jonathan Raymond Pool in the 100-block of North Redwood Highway on Tuesday afternoon. Deputies said they stopped Raymond for traffic violations and discovered that he was wanted on a Josephine County felony warrant for Parole Violation stemming from a conviction for Attempting to Elude Police as well as a Medford felony warrant for Probation Violation related to an arrest for Methamphetamine Delivery. During a consent search, Pool was found to be in possession of several grams of meth and more than 10 pounds of suspected marijuana. They were seized for destruction. Pool was transported to Grants Pass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrants. He was being held on a no-bail detainer. Charges of Felony Possession of Marijuana and Meth Possession were referred to the District Attorney's Office.

Posted on 2/27/25 6:41AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Arrested Man for Stealing Motorcycle & Local Warrant at City Park

Grants Pass Police arrested a man for stealing a motorcycle and on an outstanding warrant this week during a patrol check at a city park. The Police Department reports officers arrested 39-year-old Christopher Michael Jenkins at Tussing Park on Tuesday morning. Police said they observed a black Ninja motorcycle with a tarp over it next to a tent in the middle of the park. The bike had no license plates and a check of the vehicle information number showed it had been stolen out of Red Bluff, California. Officers said they knew Jenkins was wanted on a Jackson County warrant for 4th-Degree Domestic Assault. He told them he traded a motorhome for the motorcycle, making the deal with a short bald man at 7-Eleven a few days prior. However, he had no bill of sale with his name on it so he was placed into custody. According to the report, Jenkins confirmed that it was an "odd deal" and he should have known better. He said his wife witnessed the deal, but she was not home to corroborate his story. The stolen motorcycle was towed to an impound yard. Jenkins was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle and the outstanding warrant.

Posted on 2/27/25 6:40AM by Sam Marsh

Deputies Snared IV Man on Local Warrant after Traffic Stop in Downtown CJ

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office arrested an Illinois Valley man on a local warrant this week following a traffic stop in Cave Junction. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies pulled over a vehicle driven by 39-year-old Anthony David Pope near the corner of North Kerby Avenue and West Palmer Street on Tuesday morning. Deputies said they stopped Pope for a traffic violation and discovered that he was wanted on a Grants Pass warrant for Probation Violation related to a past arrest for Felony Identity Theft. Pope was placed into custody, transported to Grants Pass and lodged in jail on the warrant. His vehicle was secured and left on the side of the road.

Posted on 2/27/25 6:38AM by Sam Marsh

Portable Heater Came Close to Burning Down Jerome Prairie Area Home

A portable heater came close to burning down a house last week in the Jerome Prairie area. The danger was not due to how close the heater was to combustibles, but from the electrical strain in a power cord. Rural Metro Fire Department and Grants Pass Fire & Rescue responded to the incident at a home on Midway Avenue and found the resulting electrical short burned the outlet and the wall, filling the house with smoke. The incident summoned a quick response from firefighters to secure the power source and ensure fire had not extended into the walls of the dwelling. Crews also helped the occupant clear out the smoke. Rural Metro officials said an investigation revealed that the upright oscillating heater had been working to warm a room, but it was sharing a light extension cord with another device. The electrical strain found the weak point in the system where the cord plugged into the outlet. It was the second similar "close call" involving overloaded extension cords for Rural Metro this month.

Posted on 2/27/25 6:29AM by Sam Marsh

RR City Council to Consider 2 Ordinances and 1 Resolution This Evening

The Rogue River City Council will consider two ordinances and a resolution when it gathers for its monthly meeting this evening. Following Committee Reports and Public Input, the City Council will engage in Old Business. The Council will consider adopting an ordinance which changes the City's flood damage prevention code to comply with current Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) standards. A second ordinance would amend the City's off-street parking standards to implement mandated parking reform. An accompanying resolution would adopt a citywide parking policy. The City Council is also set to approve the annual Rooster Crow agreement with the Rogue River Kiwanis Club. Under New Business is confirmation of the Mayor's appointment of Mark Minegar to Council Position #3 until the first meeting in January 2027 and an agreement to accept the ODOT Small City Allotment Grant of $250,000 for sidewalk repairs on Pine, Oak and 1st streets. The panel is also scheduled to declare two police vehicles and three police guns as surplus property. Tonight's meeting starts at 6 at Rogue River City Hall, 133 Broadway Street.

Posted on 2/27/25 6:19AM by Sam Marsh

Firefighters from Across Oregon Successfully Completed Winter Fire School Training

More than 200 firefighters from departments across the state participated in Winter Fire School at the Oregon Public Safety Academy in Salem last weekend. The two-day event provided both classroom instruction and hands-on training exercises designed to enhance firefighters' skills and improve their ability to protect lives, property and natural resources within their communities. The 20th annual event -- hosted free of charge by the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training (DPSST) -- featured eight National Fire Academy courses covering topics such as community risk reduction, incident command, leadership and company operations, and wildland-urban interface operations. These specialized courses provided expert-led training in advanced topics, ensuring accessibility for departments with limited training budgets and strengthening the fire service statewide. A highlight of Winter Fire School was the hands-on training sessions, which allowed participants to gain experience in a variety of real-world scenarios. They engaged in training on search and rescue techniques, forcible entry, hose handling, and water mapping and pump station applications.

Posted on 2/27/25 6:18AM by Sam Marsh

Jackson County Sheriff Hosted Training to Increase Number of DUII Cops on Roads

The Jackson County Sheriff's Office recently hosted a training for local law enforcement agencies to become eligible to work federally-funded overtime during DUII High Visibility Enforcement patrols. Extra patrols are funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT). The training is the Oregon-Specific 4-Hour Standardized Field Sobriety Test Refresher curriculum from NHTSA and the International Association of Chiefs of Police. The class is required for any officer working under ODOT DUII grants. The local training event included officers from the Jackson County Sheriff's Office, Oregon State Police, Ashland Police Department, Jacksonville Police Department, Rogue River Police Department and Talent Police Department. The training location was provided by Jackson County Fire District #1 in Rogue River. The next grant-funded DUII training event is scheduled for Labor Day.

Posted on 2/27/25 6:15AM by Sam Marsh